Detroit Red Wings
Blashill Deserves Second Chance Following Red Wings Debacle
Many top NHL coaches weren’t a success in first job
There’s a constituency of Detroit Red Wings fans who are convinced that Jeff Blashill couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag. That peewee AAA might be his high water mark in terms of hopes of having any coaching success.
They’re certain that the Chicago Blackhawks just made a foolhardy decision by handing the keys to the future of their franchise to Blashill. Time will tell. However, what history tells us is that many top NHL coaches took quite some time and a number of stops prior to enjoying success of any significance.
Jeff Blashill has been named the new head coach of the @NHLBlackhawks. pic.twitter.com/UveWKz3aQV
— NHL (@NHL) May 22, 2025
Paul Maurice, the coach of the current Stanley Cup champions the Florida Panthers, went through Carolina (twice), Toronto and Winnipeg prior to achieiving the pinnacle of NHL success. Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer had prior stops in Florida, New Jersey, San Jose and Vegas.
Joel Quenneville, recently thrown a coaching lifeline by the Anaheim Ducks, has also been a bench boss in St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago and Florida. Rick Tocchet, recently named Philadelphia Flyers coach, has achieved one more playoff appearance in nine NHL seasons (two) than Blashill garnered in seven seasons with the Red Wings (one).
Lessons Learned With Red Wings
Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman gutted Detroit’s roster with Blashill behind the bench, diving full bore into a restructuring of the franchise. It basically left him coaching with one hand tied behind his back.
A number of hockey people have wondered what the outcome would look like were Blashill given a chance to coach a capable team.
Up until his arrival to Detroit, Blashill’s resume was one of unmitigated success. He won a USHL Clark Cup title with the Indiana Ice. In the Detroit system, he would guide the Grand Rapids Griffins to the AHL Calder Cup.
Congratulations to our 2013 Calder Cup champion, Jeff Blashill, on being named the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks! Best of luck in the Windy City…except for two games each season 😉 pic.twitter.com/TKXljGZEPi
— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) May 22, 2025
As a minor league coach, Blashill produced NHL players. There were eight players playing in the league last season – Gustav Nyquist, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Petr Mrazek, Calle Jarnkrok, Brendan Smith, Luke Glendening, Tomas Tatar – whom he tutored in GR.
Are there things he wishes he did better in Detroit? Sure.
“Anybody that’s been in a decision-making position understands you’re going to make right and some wrong and as you make the wrong decisions if you’re willing to, you can learn from them,” Blashill said. “If you look in the mirror and kind of say, ‘OK, this is an area we could have done better.’ I think life is about experiences and those experiences help you grow if you allow them to.
“Over that time I had an opportunity to grow a ton. I know I’m a better coach today and I hope I’m a better coach at the end of the year that I am today. That’s what growth is about.”
There’s no guarantee that Blashill will be the one to lead the Blackhawks back to NHL respectability. But to suggest that he isn’t worthy of getting a second chance as an NHL head coach, well that’s just patently wrong.
